Deveronvale Presents: AD 2172 Core Crisis
by Miyanokouji Kazumi
Summary: Guilty Gear XX A Core My own idea on how Sol can become Order Sol, that is using the A Core to increase his strength back to his old self.Dizzy's getting attracted to the core right now. Now Bridget & Axl has been dragged into the battle as well, by them. Another chapter added.
1. Chapter 1

**CORE CRISIS**

**CHAPTER 1**

Note: Basically, Chapter 1 is based on Jam's storyline in the PS2 game. I put a little twist in it to make my story come true in the later part of this fanfic. C: I do not own the characters from Guilty Gear, but I sure own this fanfic.

"Hmmm, maybe you're not the one I'm looking for. Well, you do look like him. Ah, well." said Jam as she took a closer look at Ky. Then she got up and left the place, aiming to get her revenge against Robo-Ky.

Not long later, Ky stood up in pain and confusion.

"What does she mean that I looked like him? What the hell, looks like I have to find out myself." Ky dashed off to retrace Jam's path after she left.

Nearly three hours later………..

"So I finally found you! You're not gonna get away this time! I'll make you pay for what you did to my restaurant!" exclaimed Jam towards Robo-Ky.

"So you've …bzzt….bzzt…. found out. Spare no one….alive…bzzt."

"Oh yeah?" Jam dashed forward and jumped high up in the sky above him. Then she unleashed her High Jump Kick below him. Robo-Ky avoided it, as Jam's kick smashed the ground into pieces. He reacted by launching his rocket launcher.

"What the hell? Huh, Qi Gong!" Jam unleashed her power to counter it. The rocket exploded.

"Cough, cough, damn it. Not again." The area was covered with smoke. She couldn't see him. Suddenly he appeared form the cloud of smoke right behind her. She wasn't able to avoid him. He slammed her down with his paper fan. She crashed down that the ground exploded to pieces.

"Tiu, he's far stronger than before." Jam groaned, trying to get up. Robo-Ky stood there waiting for her.

"Now I see what you really mean." said a voice from behind.

"Who's that? Huh, it's you." Jam turned back and was surprised. It was Ky.

"What's going on here? Why is there another me here? Could it be the PWAB trying to nail me, or making use of my powers?" Ky walked up angrily. "I'll show you how to mess with the real one." Ky lifted his blade and surrounded it with electricity.

"Bzzt …bzzt …Ky Kiske…. Servant of the Holy Order ….and original product."

"I'm not a servant! And I'll be putting you under arrest now!" Ky dashed towards him.

"Destroy!" Robo-ky got his blade ready.

"You're history. Scrap metal!" Ky slashed at him. Robo- Ky countered his blade with his own.

But surprisingly, Robo-Ky was no match against the real Ky. Ky was able to counter most of his secret weapons. In the end, Robo-Ky was slammed against the wall.

"Your time is up, metal head. You're under arrest!" Ky walked up to him.

"Bzzt…bzzt… original product is really strong. But Ky have no chance of getting the core….." with that Robo- Ky blasted himself into the air and escaped from the area.

"Damn it, he got away." Jam ran forward, and then she turned at Ky. "Anyway, why did you interfere? I was about to whack him up into pieces and turn him into scrap metal myself. Then I could get back the bounty price." She exclaimed at him angrily.

"Hmmm…" Ky turned to her. "Bounty eh? Sorry about that. I'll pay for your damage. Just tell me how much and don't mess anything up again."

"What the hell you're talking? I messed everything up? Hey, he burnt my restaurant, you know! Can you pay me that much?" Jam was really mad by now. But she cooled down almost immediately. "By the way, what did he meant with 'that core'?"

But Ky wasn't listening to her. He was already thinking about the core earlier than her.

"Core? Could it be related to the Gears? I guess I'll have to get to the bottom of this. And before Sol gets to know about all of this, I have to make sure he doesn't join in." thought Ky.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Sorry, I forgot to introduce the story. So here it is. The main prologue on the actual basics of this fanfic…….

A.D. 2120………or somewhere like that……

In the far side of the Phantom City, somewhere in the outskirts of that area. An area which was quite deserted for a very long time. A mysterious young girl emerged out of nowhere, carrying a mysterious blue box. Within that blue box, it is believed to contain a core which is quite related to the Gears. It is said that whoever possessed it would be the ultimate one, whether he's a human or a Gear.

That girl walked out of the Phantom City, into the other parts of the world, said to be seeking for the rightful owner of the core. Rumors then emerged that she was slain by the Gears while trying to protect it somewhere in Europe, though this news could not be certified. And that core was lost in the darkness after that ill-fated battle. Afterwards it was known as the A Core, a legendary treasure.

That rumor was more than 50 years ago. Now, news of the mysterious blue box containing the core had surfaced again, which could mean a new search among the hunters desired for power, and yet another war between the humans and the Gears.


	3. Chapter 2 Reload

**CHAPTER 2 # RELOAD **

An excavation group just discovered a mysterious blue box near a historical site outside of Frasco. They tried to open it with all their might and tools, but everything was in vain

Suddenly, countless balls appeared out of nowhere and attacked these workers, taking them down one by one. Then the attacker appeared right in front of the blue box. Venom smiled. He picked up the box shook it.

"This must be it. The rumored blue box which contained the core. Now I can use it to lure Millia and get rid of her…. But wait. What if Zato-I wants it too? Maybe I'll have to get rid of him too, if he really wants it as well."

He kept it in his pocket and dashed out of Frasco heading towards Zepp. He didn't realize that A.B.A was spying on him from a hidden corner. She smiled, lifted her key and vanished into the darkness.

Venom hid at a corner of Zepp and waited. He waited and waited and waited. After some time, he lost his patience.

"Piss on her! This is taking too long. Might as well have a look at it first." He took out the box and tried to open it, but failed. He fix his stick and tried to break the box.

Just at that very moment, he sensed danger. He jumped to a corner just in time as crescent-moon shaped attacked him on the ground. Venom stood back up. The attacker converted her hair back to normal and turned towards him.

"So you showed up at last, Millia. My plan did work."

"Plan? So you thought I came here because of your plan. I've been observing you since the very beginning. Time to act it out."

"That doesn't matter anymore. Now that you're here, it's time to get rid of you. I'll spare no one who wants the core, not even Zato-I this time."

"Finally you're going against him. But to tell you the truth, I don't really care about the core. But if I beat you now, I can still make use of that core to lure Zato-I out just like you planned. Only I deserved to kill him with my own hands, not even you worth of killing him." She pointed at him with her hair.

"You really pissed me off, you bitch! Let's not waste anymore time." Venom held his stick in her direction Millia reversed back, ready to counter.

"Time to meet your maker, traitor." Venom shot countless balls at her. Millia hit back the balls with her hair.

Apparently more and more balls were shot towards her. Millia began to felt under pressure. She let down more of her hair and formed a barrier to defend herself. Venom stopped his attack and dashed towards her. Miilia reverted her hair back immediately and jumped behind, then dashed towards him. She transformed her hair into a phoenix- shaped weapon and swayed towards him. They hit each other and a loud and blinding explosion occurred at that very moment.

At the very same time, somewhere near an old churchyard. Sol Badguy was lying down on a tree banch, half asleep. Suddenly, his eyes opened wide. He got up, jumped down from the tree and sat on a tombstone. He looked up in the air, looked around for a moment and then he smiled.

"It has awaken." He mumbled. He picked up his blade and left the place at once.


	4. Chapter 2 Slash

**CHAPTER 2 SLASH**

Everything was back to normal for the time being, with Jam just opened up her restaurant once again, and that was after she got back some of her money from Ky to pay the damages inflicted by Robo-Ky.

"Opening day! Get to work quickly and be fast. We don't have much workers today so do your best!" Jam said to her workers.

"Ho!!" replied them, ad the hurried back to the kitchen preparing for their job. Then Jam looked back at her schedule.

"Oh my. Our waitress is not around today. What should I do?" she walked around one circle and then clapped her hand. "Oh well, I guess I'll be the waitress today. After all, I'm the boss; I can do what I want." She grabbed the apron and donned it and took the menu board.

It was not long before a girl stepped in to the restaurant. She was a young girl in her twenties, was dressed in a typical type of traditional Japanese clothing. But the clothing fitted better for a girl who was about to battle. Most of all, she was carrying a large instrument box which was wrapped in a black cloth, concealing the thing within.

"Nie hao! How many miss?" Jam walked up to her.

"One, I guess."

"Ok, follow me." She took the girl to a nearby table. Then she laid the menu in front of her.

"Take your time for your order." Jam smiled at her.

"Just serve me two of your best dishes here, and some sake if you have."

"Alright, coming up." Jam grabbed the menu and rushed into the kitchen. Then there was some yelling in the kitchen followed by a loud sound of pots and pans flying here and there. Well, after some while, Jam came out and served the dishes; meat dumplings and big plate of roast beef. Then she poured some sake into the cup.

"Enjoy." She smiled again.

The girl ate a bit of the dishes, but then she was drinking more than she was eating. After some while, she wiped her mouth.

"That was a great meal."

"Glad you like them." Replied Jam.

"My compliments to the owner here."

"Well then, actually, I am the owner here."

"For real? You're a waitress here, aren't you?"

"Actually, our waitress around today, so I took over her place for today."

"You do care for your place."

"He he. After all, I just reopened today, so there are lots of things to do."

"I see. You really deserved to be a great chef after all. I'm Rie, and what's your name?"

"Jam."

"Jam… think I heard that name before."

"You don't really have to care about that. So, are you on a journey here?" she looked at the box again.

"So you do realized what I'm carrying here, don't you? Yes, I am on a trip here, more likely a mission." Rie took another sip of the sake.

"Well, I can see from the way you spoke. But maybe I can see the box that you're carrying, if you don't mind."

"I don't see why it's wrong to just look at it. Okay then."

But just as she was about to unfold the cloth, the doorbell rang again, and Chipp Zanuff stepped into the restaurant.

"Whoa, hold on." Jam rushed down to greet Chipp.

"Hai, Chipp. Dining in?"

"Maybe." He looked at her. "And I'm looking for someone. Have you seen…" his eyes caught hold of Rie who was sipping her sake again.

"Arrggh!!! There you are Rie!" he unleashed the crescent blade under his arm and leaped towards her. Rie was aware of him, and leaped to the side just in time as Chipp slashed the table and chair and they broke into two. She managed to grab on her box with her. She put it down on another chair nearby and stood up.

"So you have come all the way here eh, Chippy?" She rubbed her hand with an eagerness to strike. Chipp stood still and held his hand with the blade towards her.

"You're not going anywhere, Rie. I won't let you find that core just like that for your own use. You're a damn traitor, and traitors deserve to die." He bent his body to attack.

"Interesting." Said Rie., for Chipp leaped at her just as she said those words. She pulled the cloth that was covering the box away, revealing the box casing which was black in color and had some weird carvings on it, opened it in an instant with her Qi and took out the great bow and arrows inside it. Chipp dashed towards her, but before he knew it, Rie had already placed two arrows at the bow and aimed at him.

"Oh, shit!!" Chipp leaped to the corner and took cover at another table as Rie shot the arrows flying past his face. It narrowly missed him, bruising part of his cheek and hit a chair. The chair split into two.

"What the hell is going on here?! If you wanna fight, don't fight here! I just reopened this place, okay?!!" Jam yelled at them.

"Whoa." said Rie. She jumped to another corner, and shot another arrow at Chipp. He could only hide there for the moment.

"Shit! This is fuckin nuts!" muttered him from behind the table.

"Can someone just tell me what the fuck is all this about?" Jam was losing her patience.

"Gomen, Jam. Maybe it's really not that good to stay on here. We'll meet again, and till then, I'm looking forward to dining here again." Rie toss a small bag of money onto one of the tables, grabbed her box with the other hand and crashed out of the window, making her escape.

"…." Jam stood still for a moment. Chipp peeped from the table.

"Yaro! She escaped!" he jumped out from his hiding place and rushed to the main entrance.

"Chipp! What's all this about?" Jam turned to him.

"This is a serious matter. I can't let her get away. I'll tell you later." He dashed on to pursue her. The restaurant was kind of quiet after that. Jam stood there, speechless.

Rie dashed on at the speed of a ninja. Her box was hanging behind her back together with her container of arrows.

"Damn him. I must find the A Core before he does." She dashed on.

At the same moment, Chipp was somewhere behind her, also running like a ninja.

"Urgh. I need more help. Anji, Baiken, get ready with you are." He thought.

Rie dashed on, until she entered a long path down the alley. As she passed by a few boxes at the corner…

A long iron claw burst out of nowhere towards her. Rie blocked it with her bow and was thrown back to the corner. The chain behind the claw pulled it back towards its owner, Baiken. She leaped onto one of the boxes and pointed her blade at her.

"Rie. I'm impressed how you managed to evade Chipp, but that won't work for me. We're both form Colony, so I knew you better."

"Damn it. But do you think you can really beat me in such place?" Rie placed an arrow at her bow. "No one's gonna stop me. You know everybody wants the Core, and you're not exceptional, if I'm not mistaken."

"Whether "I'm interested or not, I still got my responsibility to stop you. Plus, you know how much the Gears would be after it as well." replied Baiken.

"Hey, don't forget one more thing. You got a bounty on head among us now, Rie-chan."

Rie turned behind. Anji was already there flapping his fan. At the same time, Chipp arrived at the scene, panting.

"Rie, you're trapped." He said.

"Temee." growled Rie. She was surrounded.


	5. Chapter 2 Accent Core

_**CHAPTER 2 ACCENT CORE**_

The battle between Millia and Venom was far from over, but then it was still an incomplete match without the main target.

Millia and Venom laid on the ground not far from each other. The fight ended as a draw and both of them were lying motionless on the ground after launching their greatest moves so far which couldn't even beat each other. What's more, the place was full of mess after rock and rubbles scattered everywhere due to the battle. The black box containing the Accent Core laid not far from Millia. It was then a shadowed figured glided slowly at them from a distance. The shadow stopped right in front of the box and aroused up as Eddie/ Zato. He rubbed the bandana that was covering his eyes and looked down at them.

"Millia, Venom. Body… need a better host right now. Be gone, Miilia. Huh, what the hell…?" he looked down at the box and felt the presence of a weird power surrounding him.

"What's this? He grabbed the box up and sniffed at it.

"Wow, I can feel some power within. Must get the thing within it before body dies." He looked at the keyhole and stared at it for a moment. Little did he know that he was already there quite long since they passed out. Millia was regaining her consciousness once more.

"Uh, uh..."

"Ho, ho, Milia."

"Urgh, huh? Zato?" she tried to look up at him, but she was still weak to do so.

"Ha, ha, ha." Eddie just laughed out.

"Damn you." She grabbed his leg within the shadows. "You're here at last. I'm… not gonna let you off this time."

"The power... is mine."

"You really think so?" asked a voice from above.

"What the…?"

Eddie leaped away just in time as a fighter stomped the ground just right he was standing before that. Eddie unleashed his shadows and looked at his enemy. Millia and Venom were thrown aside from the impact.

"You?"

"Yeah, me. The greatest you've seen so far." Sol Badguy stood back straight up and stared at him. "Sorry, but the box is mine." He held his blade up.

"The power shall be mine. You won't have it from me. And once I got it, your body shall be my new host." He laughed.

"We'll see." Sol unleashed his flames to the ground directly to Eddie. He countered them with his hordes of phantom shadows back.

""You're been tricked right there!" Sol was already above him, slashing down his blade. Eddie blocked the blade with a shield made from his shadows.

"How's that, black phantom?" Sol was so confident. "Now, for the box…"

But God seemed to be on Eddie's side after all. The sky was turning dark all of a sudden. They looked up in confusion and realized that it was a sun eclipse.

"Oh shit. Damn it!" Sol pressed his blade harder.

"Heh heh heh, chances are here, Sol." He pushed him aback. Unbeknown to them, ABA was spying on them at a corner of the rocks. She seemed to be excited.

"Go, go, go! Beat them all. And then the pretty box shall be mine." She grabbed her giant key tightly at her back, waiting for the opportunity to snatch the box.

"Hahhh!" Eddie sent his shadows scattered everyway around Sol. Sol was under pressure now.

"Can't let him get away. Gotta beat him down before the eclipse arrives." He slashed the figures in front of him trying to block his path. Another figure was behind him, but he was too late. Sol was hit backwards.

"Ougghh!" he dropped back, but got back up quickly. In the meantime, Eddie was retreating backwards trying to make his escape.

"You're not leaving!" Sol charged back up. Eddie tried to block him again with his phantoms, trying to buy himself time while waiting for the full eclipse. Sol unleashed his flames again. The sky was getting darker than black as time flew by. ABA was getting more excited from behind.

"Sorry dude. You're late." Eddie laughed out. The sun was totally covered now.

"Shit!" Sol tried to attack him again.

"Hoh!" Eddie transformed to his phantom self and shot a n army of shadows as the last attack. Sol unleashed his full strength using his rage and charged through the figures. Eddie soon sank to the ground which was covered by the shadows.

"Hiah!" Sol slashed the ground where Eddie was there just before that. The ground exploded, but Eddie was laughing from another direction.

"Nice try, but I'm still here. Ha, ha ,ha. Try and get me now. Or the power shall be mine, then get ready to be my new body. Ha hah ha!" Eddie vanished after that.

"Damn fucking shit!" Sol slammed the ground nearby in anger. Millia looked up as she struggled to get on her knees.

"S..Sol." She grabbed the edge of the rock trying to stand up. Meanwhile ABA looked distress after Eddie got away. Seemed to be sulking, she quickly left the area with her large key still hanging at her back.

At the same time when Eddie got hold of the Accent Core, another fighter responded to its powers. Slayer was awakened by the momentum between Eddie and the core. He got up and slid through his coffin, adjusted his tie and looked up.

"So I see he's got it. Time to have some party for them." He filled some tobacco into his pipe and lit it up.

Meanwhile, back to the other battle, Rie was surrounded by Anji, Chipp and Baiken. Yet as the sun was covered up, they stood there without even moving for a while. When everything was totally dark, Rie spoke out.

"I guess there's no other way to stop this right?"

"Temee, how can you say such a thing?" said Anji. "After what you did to the rest of us in Colony."

"A traitor deserves to die, you know that?" said Chipp.

"Oh, do you have the right to say that when you're not originally from Colony? Well, I know all of you wanted that core for yourself too, so why stopping me?" she looked at Baiken. "Especially you, Baiken. I know you really wanted it,right? You want it so you can have your revenge against the Gears. So why stop me? We are just the same. The core itself is like a Sei Hai."

"Sei Hai?"

"Yeah, Sei Hai. The Holy Grail. The power which will not only give the ultimate power, but also immortality." Baiken was falling for her words.

"Baiken, don't listen to her!" yelled Chipp.

"Yeah, you're right." said Baiken. "but I won't use the core for my own importance. Think of the others' welfare back in Colony whom you have abandoned. What about them? Can you use the core and save them, or restore Colony to its former glory? Maybe you wanted it for your own sake. You want to rule Colony, I guess." she took out her sword. Seeing that, Anji held his fan high up, Chipp held his knife up front again.

"Hai, naze? Why won't you just listen to me? Don't you still get it?" asked Rie.

"Bullshit! Enough lecture! What I know right now is to punish traitors only. So no matter what you want to do with it, we can't let you hunt the core by yourself. It's against Colony!"

"Then I guess I have no other choice." Rie held her steel bow up, took two arrows from her container and aimed at him.

"


	6. Chapter 2 Overture

_**CHAPTER 2 – OVERTURE**_

Rie held her bow up at them, as the three of them got ready to attack her.

"You really think of that Core as a Holy Grail. You're really mad after all!" Chipp yelled at her.

"If you really don't think of the benefits you'll get from obtaining it, then there's nothing I can do. Whoever gets it will be the one." She took out an arrow and aimed it at Chipp.

"That won't change my mind at all!" Baiken yelled and kicked a plank of wood at her. She jumped into the air and shot the arrow at Chipp.

"Man." Chipp hit it away with his blade, but was pushed backwards by the momentum. Rie leaped towards him. A pair of knife appeared at the edges of the bow. She swung her bow at him.

"Shit!" Chipp blocked the attack with his blade, and the two of them exchanged hits with their weapons. "What kind of bow is this?"

"What kind? Huh, it's my very own customized bow, of course." She aimed a kick at him, but just then a fan flew by them and Rie had to leap back. Anji stormed right in front of them.

"Take this!" He swung his fan at full power, blowing her far back. She held her hand up and a light glowed o it. The next thing they knew, an iron arrow was in her grasp.

"But… how did she get that arrow?" Chjpp couldn't believe it. Rie shot the arrow at them. Chipp leaped aside just in time as the arrow went towards Anji. He had to cover himself with his fans. PUSH!!! The arrow pierced through his fans and stopped right in front of his eyes, shattering his glasses. Anji stood there motionless, sweat poured through his cheek.

"Anji-kun!" Baiken dashed forward to help, but it was too late.

"You're mine!" Rie was already in front of him. Anji tried to parry her, but Rie kicked the arrow and it ripped through his fans.

"Arrrgghhh, my fan!!!" he tripped behind.

"Down!!!" Rie aimed a powerful kick at his chest and he was thrown far behind until he crashed at a pile of wooden boxes and fell to the ground. He didn't move after that.

"Anji!!!" Chipp yelled.

"One down, two to go." Rie held her bow up in the air signaling her first victory. The sky was still dark due to the sun eclipse.

"That's gonna be you!" Baiken dashed towards her and withdrew her sword and slashed her. Rie blocked with her bow and leaped behind her.

"Too much blunder." Baiken shot her claw at her and managed to chain her leg.

"Oh, damn." Rie nearly lost her balance but quickly leaped from the ground using her hand, as Baiken aimed another slash at her. She held her hand again and another light glowed on it, and a small dagger was in her grasp.

"You can't be a Gear, aren't you?" Baiken was confused. Her emotions were scattering. "Only a Gear could've done that!"

"Who knows? Maybe I'm just a half Gear." she threw the dagger at Baiken, who had to parry it with her own sword, while Rie took the chance to remove the chain on her leg… Chipp was already above her in the air.

"You are history!!!" Chipp slashed her with his blade. Rie leaped backwards. Part of her front dress got ripped by his blade, revealing her inner clothing. She leaped back and raised her hand again.

"Don't think of using that again!" Chipp dashed at her in the speed of light using his ninjitsu skills. But with her left hand, Rie started spinning her bow trying to create a small tornado to block him. Chipp's movements really came to a halt.

"Urrggh. This isn't what she's supposed to be." Chipp had to cover his eyes as the wind pushed him back. Baiken ducked at a corner trying to regroup her skills. Rie's hand glowed again and this time an Orihalcon arrow appeared at her hand. She quickly placed it at her bow and shot it at him. Chipp opened his eyes on time and blocked the arrow with his blade. He did it, but the attack was strong, plus the strong wind which was still blowing. His blade cracked and the sharp edge broke.

"Here's the finisher!" Her hand glowed again, and this time, three iron arrows appeared at her hand. She shot them all at once.

"Arrgh!" Chipp slammed both of it aside, further shattering his own blade. The third arrow struck his shoulder.

"Aaaarrrgghhh!!!" he yelled in pain and quickly pulled the arrow out of him.

"Chipp!" Baiken leaped out upon hearing his yelling. Rie leaped above Chipp and struck his shoulder again with her bow. Chipp tried to punch her, but missed by an inch. Rie gave a Muay Thai- style kick onto his head. Crush!!! Chipp wnt down to his knees and fell to the ground, KO.

"Chipp!" Baiken kicked another plank of word at Rie, Rie sliced it into two, but then an iron ball came flying at her after the wood. Rie somersaulted back and leaped backwards a few times until she landed on a wooden box. Baiken stood back and held her sword up at her.

"I guess it's just you and I right now. Why don't take the time to think of it again first?" Rie brushed her own hair with her bow.

"Whether I still want the Core or not it's not business anymore. But I won't let you go just like that after what you've done to them, and now I know that you are a Gear as well."

"Ha ha ha ha. You're so foolish enough for taking a long time to find out, after how long have I been living in Colony with you all. With that Core, my powers will be complete, you won't even survive today." She tied to cover her front clothe which was ripped by Chipp.

"Konno yaro!!!" Baiken bit her lips in anger. But just then, the sun was appearing again and everywhere was getting bight again.

"Aww, not now. Baiken, I guess you'll just have to die another day after all."

"Don't you even think of running." Baiken leaped forward.

"Gomen, but now I've got other things to complete." She grabbed an arrow from her container and shot it into the air. An even brighter light surrounded her that Baiken had to close her eyes. By the time she opened eyes again, Rie had vanished.

"Damn it, she got away." She stomped the ground in anger and kept her sword. "I can't let her get her hands on it." She thought for a moment before running back to the others. "Chipp! Anji! Are you guys okay?" she went back to help them. They wouldn't be able to fight on at the moment now that their weapons had been damaged. "Looks like the burden's mine right now." She thought when she saaw the condition of their weapons, and tried to stop Chipp's wound continuous bleeding.


	7. Chapter 2 Special

**_CHAPTER 2 SPECIAL_**

Bridget got up of his bed again. He went to the window and looked outside.

"What a new day again." He quickly got dressed up and had his breakfast. Then he took his yoyo and Roger with him and left the house. He went down the usual path down to town for his daily job, searching for new bounties to obtain.

"Time for more bounty hunting today." He strolled the path joyfully playing his yoyo again.

"Oh my, this is not boyish enough yet." He taught. Then the wind blew pass him, blowing his skirt up as well.

"Iiiiyyyaaaa!" Bridget quickly covered down his skirt, let out a sigh, for no one was around at that time, and raved on, not knowing any danger that would happen later that day. The innocent looking girl who was actually a boy would just continue his daily routine trying to act more like a real guy but kept on doing girlish things along side.

For Eddie had succeeded in escaping from the others who wanted to get hold of the Accent Core as well, now he had some time to try and open the black box and obtain the Core.

"Now, the Core is mine." Eddie smiled and hit the box hard with his shadows.

But on the other hand, at the Jellyfish Pirates airplane, Dizzy began to look a little pale.

"Dizzy, what's wrong?" May went up to her.

"I don't know. My body feels strange." She looked back, but her face was getting paler as she spoke.

"What's wrong with Dizzy now? Do we need to land first or what?" Johnny peeped into the control room.

"Hold it, Johnny! Stop asking nonsense!" May stood up like she was the captain. It was then…

"Aaarrgghhh!!" Dizzy stood up straight, but her whole body was in total pain.

"Dizzy!!" May was pushed back by the momentum.

"AaARRggghhH!!" Dizzy couldn't control her body anymore. Her body glowed and she transformed once again.

"Dizzzzyyyy!!" May tried to go near her. "What's going on? Control yourself!"

"It… it's calling me!!" Dizzy muttered, as her wings spread out. Johnny rushed in.

"Dizzy! What's happening? Stop her! Don't let the Gears know about her powers again." Johnny tried to grab her, but to no avail. The Lucifer behind her slashed his Scythe causing him to retreat backwards.

"It's calling me." Dizzy mumbled once more, as she held her body in pain. "I must go get it." She flew out of the control room, out of the plane and down to Earth once more.

"Dizzy!" May ran to the edge, but Johnny grabbed her before she would fall from there.

"Change of plan!" Johnny yelled at the crew. "We're changing course to the North. Bearing 30 60. We must save Dizzy! Full speed!"

"Roger!!"

"This is getting to be another Gear headache again." Johnny looked on as May started crying.

AS Dizzy unleashed her Gear power once more, Testament reappeared from the darkness of Grove. The black crow flew above him one full circle. When he got hold of his scythe, his head was in pain again.

"This feeling…" he held his forehead. "It must be Commander Dizzy." He looked up into the sky. "Damn those humans. What are they doing to her right now? If something happens to her again, I'll never let them live." Then he felt the presence of another strong power.

"What's this? This power… it's stronger than Dizzy's." he tried to trace the source of the power but failed.

"That must be the cause of it. I must seek it out to save Dizzy." And with that he withdrew his scythe and returned to the darkness, teleporting himself to another location.

Eddie continued to hit the box with his powers, but the lock was still intact at the cover.

"Damn it! I need your power! Come on, open!" he continued hitting it, without realizing that his attack was releasing the aura of the Core from the box everywhere.

The power of the Core had reached to Slayer. He opened his eyes in excitement and came out of his coffin, adjusting his tie and started smoking his pipe.

"This is getting interesting." He puffed. "I haven't felt this kind of power full ages. Must get hold of it. Plus, it's time to check out the other successors of the Guild as well." He slammed his coffin back to the wall, grabbed his cape and entered it, vanishing through it and exited his abandoned castle to meet up with Eddie.

Eddie kept on hitting the box; finally there was a crack at the edge of it.

"Gotcha." He smiled, but when he looked closer, he realized the crack wasn't good enough to open the box yet.

"Shit, just a little bit more. I need it now!" he aimed another hit.

"That box looks interesting. Mind if I take a look at it too?" a voice said from behind all of a sudden.

"Who the…?" Eddie turned behind in surprise and saw Slayer standing behind him puffing away.

"How's the hitting going?" he held his pipe at pointed at him.

"You… the founder, right?" Eddie stood up, kicking the box behind him.

"Did you guess my identity, or you're not even sure who I am?"

"Even if you're my former superior…" Eddie raised his arm and pointed at Slayer. "No one's gonna touch that box again other than me, and includes you!"

"Then I guess a fight is unavoidable." Slayer rolled his sleeves up and clenched his fist. "Forgive me, Zato, but that Core has caught my interest as well. If you won't want to share, then this is the only way." He dashed towards Eddie. Eddie raised his shadows for a counterattack. But Slayer was already in front of him and aimed a punch at him. Eddie had to block it with his bare hands.

"Bring it on, Zato!" Slayer let out a sly smile.

"Yeah, you wanna die, then let's rumble!" Eddie exclaimed as his shadows rose from behind him trying to devour Slayer.


	8. Chapter 2 Accent Core PLUS

**_CHAPTER 2 ACCENT CORE PLUS_**

In the heart of the Empire of Zepp…..

The grand capital…..

Gabriel sat at his chair in his main office. He was glancing at a pile of reports which was sent in lately. As he set the last piece of paper down onto the table, he sighed. And not long after that, he called out.

"Guard!"

One of the guards guarding outside his office came in right away.

"What is it, my leader?" he stood straight in front of him.

"Get Potemkin here, right now. I have an important business for him."

"Yes Sir!!!" exclaimed the guard as he saluted and then hurried out of the room. Gabriel leaned back at his chair and thought to himself.

"This is getting interesting…. The Accent Core…. When I get hold of it, it'll make things easier for me…"

It was quite some time before Potemkin entered the room.

"Did you call me, Sir?" Potemkin asked as he saluted in front of Gabriel.

"Indeed, Potemkin." Gabriel got up and walked up to him. He went close to him and looked up at him.

"There is one important task which I would like to assign to you now, since you are the most suitable person to carry it out, and I know I can count on you for this task."

"What would the task be?"

"There is an old rumor about a mysterious item known as the Accent Core which is said to be cursed. But this item became to be known as a rare item; rumors had it that it is able to unleash great powers to whoever possesses it. I recently receive report that the Accent Core had been spotted somewhere near the Phantom City. But I'll need more proof before I can obtain it."

"You want me to investigate the rumor and bring you back the Core, isn't it?"

"Good thinking there. I know I can count on you, my most loyal soldier. Bring it back to me and you shall be rewarded fairly for all the sweat and blood that you poured into your quest."

"As you order, Sir!" Potemkin saluted and left the office. Gabriel sat back on his chair. Leaned back and turned his seat towards the window, observing the setting sun.

"That Core shall serve the benefit of this empire." He thought to himself as he gazed at the evening sun.

Elsewhere…..

Baiken laid Chipp onto his bed carefully with her left arm. When she was done with that, she spread a blanket over him.

"Ugh, ogh." moaned Anji, who was already on his bed.

"Quiet, you nut." She exclaimed; her nerve was building up, remembering the embarrassment that she had to suffer after losing to Rie not long ago.

"Ugh, ugh." Anji wasn't listening to her and continued to moan in his sleep.

"Baka." She grumbled. Then she walked to the table and looked outside of the window. Anji's torn fans and Chipp's cracked blade were placed onto the table. The sun was already setting at the other end.

"It's still not over yet." She mumbled, grabbed her sword, slid it at her side and left the room, aiming to find Rie one more time. "You two better get well quickly."

........................

Elsewhere…..

Back at the rubbles….

Sol had already left long time ago. Now the area was quiet once more. Except…

"Urghh…"

Millia dragged herself towards the higher bricks near her. Her whole body was totally worn out after the battle with Venom. Venom remained down at his side, showing no sign of recovery.

"I must get him…. cannot let Zato escape…" she pushed herself forward and grabbed the edge of the brick. "Sol… ough!" some blood oozed out of her mouth. She halted for a while, as she looked at the blood that came out of her.

"Not now… must regain some strength." She wiped the blood from her mouth and pushed herself forward again, trying to gain some strength again.

Millia didn't realize A.B.A was observing her from pile of rocks not far from her.

"This is getting creepy here, don't you think?" she glanced at her large key, then turned back and looked at Millia. Millia tried to sit up and dragged her legs closer to the rock.

"Oh my, oh my. Should we go and help her? Oh, wait. She's after that Gear, right? That means she will also get us soon, won't she?" A.B.A. became a little confused. She kept turning back at her key and Millia, not sure whether she should help her or not.

"But she's wounded after all. I guess the only thing we can do now is to help her,right?" she gazed at her key, then stood up and carried it behind her. Just as she was about to step out of her hiding place…

"Dush!!!" a hard knock came out of nowhere, stomping Millia on her back.

"Ouuughhh!!!" Blood oozed out of Milia's mouth once again; and this time she passed out.

"Huh? What's that?" A.B.A. became afraid and rushed back behind her hiding spot. She peeped out of there slowly and caught a glimpse of the cause of the disturbance.

A woman in red was standing on top of Millia, with her right leg on her of course. The mysterious lady: I-no. That explained what happened.

"Oh my. She stepped on her. How creepy." thought A.B.A. "I better get out of here first." And with that she slowly crept away from her hiding spot without I-no noticing her presence.

"You old maid. You think you can ever catch those lambs just by hopping around here and there like a bunny?" I-no lifted her guitar on her shoulder. "Yeah, you're a loser. You don't stand a chance to get that Zato if you cannot even tolerate my foot."

She stood down from there, leaving Millia just like that, and surveyed the area.

"One down, plenty more to go." She said. "Then, I will get that Accent Core for myself, with a little help from that archer girl of course. We'll just see who's having it in the end." She left the area by leaping from one rock to another in an instant, leaving Millia and Venom where they were.


	9. Chapitre Drei

**CHAPITRE DREI**

Everything began to descend into chaos by now…

Slayer aimed a straight blow at Eddie. He transformed into his shadow form and slid down the ground instead, avoiding his attack. The shadow slid past through behind him.

"So that's the power that you have? The shadow…" thought Slayer. Eddie reappeared behind him out of the ground and summoned a giant drill from the shadows on the ground, part of himself. Slayer gasped in his disbelief, as he narrowly leaped to the side, dodging the drill that appeared out of the ground and vanished when it failed to drill him. He leaped back.

"Damn." he rubbed his forehead, sweating. Eddie reverted to his normal self and looked at Slayer, with the box in his left hand's grasp.

"Stop the fucking attempt! You won't have a single chance to snatch it away from me. He pointed his right finger at him. "Your existence has no more meaning here! So stop thinking of getting hold of it and get lost."

"Hmmm…." Slayer adjusted his pipe and puffed it. "You really think too much you know? Everyone wants that core inside, so why not me? You don't even have a chance to take me down, with that parasitic body of yours. Don't you think you're a little unqualified here to own the core? Only one with a normal body unlike you can be the owner of that." he blew out a few ring of smoke into the air.

"Hhmmph!" Eddie unleashed his shadows again around him. "I told you, I don't care if you were my superior or not, whoever goes into my way, DIE!!!" he rushed all the shadows on the ground at him.

"Stubborn as expected." Slayer crossed both hands in front of him to block the shadows from hurting him. The shadows rushed past him, like gust of winds tearing through the object.

"Urrgghh."

"Ha ha ha. Trying to prove that you're as strong as me! Try and improve yourself first!" he laughed out laugh.

"Oh, so you wanna see it?" Slayer grinned. Just as he moved his arms a bit, he vanished, and the shadows went past that area totally unblocked.

"What the…?" Eddie panicked. "That speed… where did he…?" And as he tried to calmed down, he began to noticed it. HE could see Slayer dashing around him in the speed of the wind itself. Vanishing and appearing now and then in front of him, behind him, or next to him.

"He's quite fast too." Eddie tried to keep up with his position, trying to get aware of an attack from him. "Shit, can't keep up with him."

*********************************************************************************************

Dizzy flew up in the sky, her wings flapping high and mighty as she searched for her target.

"Must reach it, quick." she thought. But she wasn't aware of herself. Part of her consciousness was gone when her Gear powers awakened. She was being semi-controlled by her own demons within her.

"Must… get hold of it." she flew on. Far far far behind her was the Jellyfish Pirates pursuing her to stop her from leaving just like that.

"How far more is Dizzy?" asked Johnny in the cabin?"

"Exactly visible in our radar." replied one of the crew.

"Then hurry. We must retrieve her back."

"Before that Testament guy come after us and blame us again." May pulled her own hat nervously. "I don't like that guy's attitude at all."

****************************************

Back to the fight….

Slayer dashed on around him, trying to get closer to him. Eddie tried to follow up with his movement.

"Damn it." thought Eddie. Losing his patience…

"Take that!" he threw a shadowy shark at the Slayer's running figure. The shark missed him. Slayer's getting closer.

"What the…?"

"Gotcha!" Slayer appeared all of a sudden behind Eddie. Eddie couldn't even turn back to react. Slayer grabbed onto his shoulder.

"Time for some feast." Slayer's mouth opened wide and, his fangs sank into Eddie's neck.

"Arrrgghhh!!!" Eddie yelled in surprise and also in pain. Slayer grabbed hold of his neck, trying to prevent him from escaping. Eddie swung his fist behind him, but missed.

"Uurrgghhh. FUCK!!!!" he unleashed all of his powers; his shadows spread across the whole area. Slayer noticed that, and as the shadows reached his feet, he let go of Eddie's neck, stop sucking the blood and leaped backwards to the unaffected place.

"Orrrgh." Eddie held the wound at his neck with his right hand, still gripping the box tightly in the other hand. Blood was still flowing out of it. "Why you…?"

"Thanks for the feast." Slayer wiped the extra blood around his lips with his palm. "Though yours is among the worst to feast on.

"What?"

"Yeah, after all, now your body's just a parasite. You expect a very sweet blood from your body?"

"You vampire twerp." Eddie held his right hand up. "You're gonna feel this."

"Oh?"

"Arrgh." Eddie felt dizzy and slump down to his knees. He held his forehead. Still refusing to let go of the box.

"Feeling anemic already, eh?" Slayer puffed his pipe. "Well then, time to take it from ya."

"Don't even think of it." Eddie quickly touched the ground , and unleashed all of the shadows around him, then they surfaced up, surrounding him. The shadows covered the whole area in a swift, that Slayer couldn't see him anymore.

"Could it be…?" Slayer blocked his own view with his left arm, as the wind was too strong, like a vortex being created from there. The powerful wind lasted for quite some time. When it was finally over, Slayer focused his vision in front of him. Eddie was gone!!!

"Damn!" Slayer adjusted his bowtie. "Must've slid away in the shadows again." he looked around trying to seek him out, but no sign of him.

"This is getting bad." he puffed. "I must grab the core from him before he attracts more fighters around him." he spread out his cloak exactly at his height and entered it through the dark side, with his hand pulling it inside as he entered it, and the whole cloak vanished with him, a very unique way to escape.

Dizzy felt a weird feeling inside of her.

"It… it's…gone." she mumbled. She felt anemic, and starting to lose her will to fly, slowly came swooping down to the ground. The distance between her current location and the battle scene, was still quite wide. So was the Jellyfish Pirates who were still after her with their ship.

Below on the ground, Bridget was there, strolling down the path, whistling to herself. His right hand just waved here and there, his left hand was cuddling Roger of course.

"What should I be doing next?" he thought. "There're aren't any bounties yet so far for today." he gazed up at sky in al little disappointment. Then he saw…

"Huh? What's that?" he held his hand above his eyes as cover, as he tried to catch that figure swooping down. It looked like someone…

"Dizzy!!!" Bridget recognized the body shape, and ran down the path to where she might crashed down. Dizzy had passed out by now, her wings were folding back up, and vanishing. Her powers seemed to have worn out for that time.

"I got ya. I got ya." Bridget dashed forward and held both hands up. She landed exactly in his grasp. Bridget nearly fell back due to the pressure from her landing.

"Arrgh, she's heavier than I thought." Bridget slowly laid her down the ground. She had returned to normal by then.

"Fuh." he wiped his sweat. "Just what actually happened to her? How did she ended up in the sky in the first place?" he fell to his knees, unable to come to a conclusion. "What should I do now?"

Not long after she could see the May Ship flying in the sky. Bridget stood up and waved his hands in the air.

"Hey, here!!!"

"HEy, down there." May was gazing at the window. They're down there!"

"Really?" asked Johnny. "Then we'll land right down there. Understood?!"

"Aye, captain!"

"They saw me." Bridget fell back to his knees. He glanced at Dizzy, who was still unconscious. He looked closer.

"Maybe she's still sleeping." he thought. But seeing her cute innocent face, he just let out a sigh. "I guess I just can't help thinking about it." he looked on.


	10. Chapter 4

_**CHAPTER 4**_

The next day, everything went smoothly in the morning. No sign of Eddie nor the Core were visible. Most of them seemed to be working back on their schedule. (Or maybe….)

Paris National Police Department….

Ky Kiske was back in his main office, having a hard time lately as he tried to solve various weird cases that were happening lately.

"Arrrgh, it feels like having a bad hair day. Yeah, it's already closing in on noon. Arrggh!" Ky groaned as he lifted himself to the edge of the room as he placed his sword at the side of the table. He sat at his chair, and rubbed his forehead. One big pile of worksheet was laid on his table. He slouched back and stretched both legs on the table near the papers.

"What the hell is going on here? Complains are piling up. Are the Gears finally ganging up for an onslaught? This is going to take up our lives to solve them." He took a sip of coffee from his cup. Then his eyebrows frowned. "Plus, there's still another mystery to solve here." He remembered the words mentioned by the Robo Ky about the Accent Core.

"I gotta solve the mystery before it begins to rip innocent lives away. Before the Holy Order starts making a fuss about it. Ai, I'm having a headache here."

"Chief!" One of is subordinates called out to him as he entered his office. He was one of those who were just newly recruited from the latest public recruitment to counter the remaining Gear threats.

"What is it? If's there nothing big, don't even bother to leave it to me. We got lots to handle now you know? He rubbed his forehead again as he leaned back against his chair.

"Chief, there is this girl who claims to have caught a wanted criminal, and she wants to personally see you regarding the bounty reward."

"What? A girl? What the hell?" he thought. He glanced at his sword at the edge of the table for a moment, before making up his mind. "Alright, send her in."

"Yes Sir!" he exclaimed as he exited the room, and not long a young girl in red entered the room.

"You must be the chief leader around here." said the girl casually as she looked around. She was none other than Jam Kuradoberi. Ky took some time to notice her.

"Why, you again?" he stood up all of a sudden.

"Huh?" she looked at him carefully. "What? It's you! You're the chief here? So, you're a cop?" she trembled in fear. "Err… about that day….."

"What's all the fear in you? I'm not gonna arrest you for what that's over already. Besides, I'm quite busy right now. What do want anyway? Speak up quick!"

"Oh, ok then. I've got a bounty out there for you. The one who's worth $10000 on the wanted list." she boldly announced it to him.

"Oh? What a little girl like you would actually have interest in hunting down for bounties. Nah, foget about that. And where is out lucky strike?"

"Outside there. Look, look." she pointed outside the office. Ky went to take a look. She was right. There was a big guy being tied up lying at the end of the office unconscious. He was a thug on the wanted list of gangsters terrorizing the streets lately.

"I thought you're running your own restaurant recently. Yet you're bounty hunting here?" he rubbed his chin. "You sure have the guts and time to run two birds with one stone."

"Don't forget that I need the money for all the repairs and maintenance as well, after all the fight which damaged part of my restaurant. Don't look down on my Kung Fu! After all, I beat you that day." she sounded annoyed.

"Fight? What happened earlier? Was it another fight you mean? Is it related to what happened the other day?" he sounded surprise.

"That's what I want to do as well. Though I just came for the reward. But are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Let me hear it. It might be something related to it, or maybe it revolves the Gears."

And so Jam took her time telling Ky what happen at the restaurant that day; the day Rie went to her restaurant for a meal and fought with Chipp instead, though she didn't know what happen next.

"It sounded normal to you, doesn't it?" asked Ky, as he went into a deep thought.

"I guess so. After all, a fight is unavoidable these days." she simply shrugged her shoulders as she looked at him amazed.

" It may have something to do with the Core, that fight." he thought. Then he turned back to her. "Any way, I'll keep the fight memory as a reference for the time being. Your cooperation is highly appreciated. You're Jam, right. Thanks anyway for the information. You can go and collect your reward from the man in charge out there."

"Eh? That's all?" she looked puzzled.

"We're quite busy right now. You should know by these pile of rubbish here." he pointed at he pile of workload on the table. "I'll think about that case later. There's no reason to fight for the moment."

"Oh, ok. Then excuse me." Jam bowed to him and then left the room. Ky slouched back at his chair, and sipped his cup of coffee.

"Things sure's getting complicated. Even when I still don't have any news about Sol right now….." he looked up at the ceiling. "Yeah, if its Sol, he might've known something about I by now. All we need is to find him." he went to the drawer to search for some earlier files about Sol once again.

*********************************************************************

Back to the May Ship……

Dizzy laid on her bed. May and Johnny were at her side.

"I'm sorry I got you all into trouble." she said, still a little drowsy.

"Don't say such things, Dizzy. You're our friend after all, right?" replied May, who then held Dizzy's palms with her hands.

"May…."

"Anyway how you're feeling right now? Better?" asked Johnny.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"What actually happened that time? Why did you flew off just like that?" asked May.

"I…… errr…. At that time….. I don't remember why I went. It's like….. Something's calling me or some sort of." she looked confused. "What was it, I don't know…… but my powers seemed to be reacting to it."

"That's really weird. What kind of power would've attract her just like that?" Johnny frowned his eyebrows. "I doubt it's Testament?" he thought.

"Maybe it's Testament or whoever?" exclaimed May. "Ha ha, I actually doubt that twerp would be the one seeking her out again."

"You may be right." he replied. "Maybe it had something to do with the Gears again." he looked serious. "We should take extra precautions in case they really come for her. We cannot let Dizzy being used again."

"Yes Sir!!" May exclaimed. Dizzy looked at them amazed.

"Oh everyone, thank you. I feel happy for it." she closed her eyes and went back to sleep. May looked at her for a while, how she looked like when sleeping, then she and Johnny left the room and back to the main control room.

***********************************************************************

Meanwhile, at the Zeppian border……..

Potempkin was sitting behind a monster 4WD as it the military driver drove it past by the custom hut and towards the borderline.

"We're almost there, sir." said the driver. "The mission will commence as soon as we reach the rendezvous location."

"That's it." he said. "For this is a secret mission. We must perform the investigation with total care. No one shall know the main priority of our mission, to seek out the rumored Accent Core."

"That's right sir. For long live Lord Gabriel. For the eternity of the Holy Empire of Zepp!" he aroused in full spirit.

The two of them passed by a desolated part of the kingdom. That area used to be a well developed area in the earlier days of the previous government before the foundation of the Empire. Now, it was totally laid to waste after countless civil wars and the crackdowns against the Gears.

"I wonder why Lord Gabriel doesn't care about this place so far?" the soldier asked.

"I do not have the authority to answer such question. Lord Gabriel himself decides what is worth for the benefits of the people and the Empire." Potempkin looked up at he sky as the 4WD sped on down the tattered road. And then……..

"Sir, something seems to be in the way out there!" the driver exclaimed. He tried to catch a bigger glimpse of the unknown on the radar.

"What is it?" Potempkin tried to turned and look at the unknown without causing the 4WD to turn turtle.

"Scanning image." he said, as he slowed the 4WD down and approached it cautiously. "It's a….. robot?"

"What?" Potempkin looked puzzled. "Halt!!!"

"Yes Sir!" he startled, but quickly stopped the 4WD. Potempkin got off the vehicle and went ahead. "Err, sir, are you sure you can take it on?"

"I'll deal with it, it wouldn't be a problem with my strength." Potempkin carried along his extra gear that he always wore during a fight. As he went closer, he saw what kind of robot it was; Robo Ky!

It was sitting on its build-in chair, lazing himself off while waiting for Potempkin to edge closer to him. Potempkin reached in front of him and put on his gear.

"What would a robot be doing here in the middle of nowhere? Unless it's just a scrap metal?" Potempkin uttered some unnecessary words at it.

"Bzzzt, target spotted." replied Robo Ky, not really a reply. It grabbed its sword at the side and stood up, dismantled the chair and the parts went back into the back of its body. It's upper torso and head unleashed some smoke as it powered itself up. "Initiating battle with target."

"And for what reason now?" Potempkin walked up to it, getting ready to receive any form of attack from it.

"Target acquired." said Robo Ky. " Eliminating all potential targets who are after the Core." it held its sword up, with some smoke released from its head again.

"How the hell do you know about the Core anyway?" Potempkin looked puzzled. "But still, this is top secret. Those who get in my way shall be sent to see his maker." he held both hands up and gathered his own strength.

Robo Ky launched the first attack. It dashed towards him and aimed a hit at his arm with its blade.

"Hhhmphh!!" Potempkin blocked the blade with his bare arms, and quickly grabbed Robo Ky by the leg with his other hand.

"Bzzzt. Bzzzt."

Potempkin grabbed hold of him with both hands and hugged it tightly; a bear hug! Robo Ky struggled between his grasps, smokes emitted from its head again.

"Bzzzt bzzzt."

"Be gone scrap metal!" he hugged it tighter and tighter, aiming to crush it in a just one blow.

"Bzztt!" Robo Ky's arms revealed tools that looked like of a stun gun. It's arms struggled to get in contact with his body. It managed to touched his arm, and next moment, there were electro waves hitting him.

"Aaarrgghhh!!!" Potempkin was electrocuted by the Robo Ky. He let it go in the fuzz and Robo Ky sped behind with its additional rocket system. Potempkin stuggled to overcome the pain and got back to his feet.

"Damn. Maybe I underestimated you. But for a robot with such equipments installed inside, I would like to challenge the creator directly instead." he rubbed his chin and charged at Robo Ky.

"Bzzzt bzzt." Robo Ky revealed its unicycle and paddled as fast as it could sending it up into the air. Potemkin looked up, and then Robo Ky stopped cycling and took out a rocket launcher from its shoulder and aimed at him.

"What the….?"

"Terminating target." Robo Ky fired a missile at him. Potempkin tried to defend himself, blocking the missile with both hands. There's no time to avoid it. Ha had to faced it somehow. The missile zoomed straight at him and………….

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

( What happened next? I don't have the damn mood to explain it at the moment. That's it for now. The Accent Core battle had reached the halfway mark; or maybe more than that already! )


	11. Chapter Petit

_**CHAPTER PETIT**_

Back To Zepp……….

Potemkin laid on the ground, wounded. Robo-Ky stood in front of him, emitting all the smoke out of the holes at his neck.

"Zzttt, zzzttt." Robo-Ky lifted his left arm, dang! His left arm was dangling instead, part of its socket had been damaged , making its arm now hanging as if it was half severed.

"Bzzzt. Need to repair body part. Initiating auto repair system." Robo-Ky's right arm turned into a machine and started fixing its left arm.

"Not… so… fast." Potemkin's right hand reached out and grabbed Robo-Ky's leg.

"What the….?"

"Haaahhh!" with his remaining strength, Potemkin swung it into the air. He fell back onto the ground.

"No one can stop Robo-Ky." Robo-Ky initiated its single cycle and cycled in the air, slowly going back down onto the ground.

'WArrgh!" the military truck driver was so scared of Robo-Ky, he tried to drive away from the battle scene. He hit the oil and sped off in fear.

"Pathetic humans." said Robo-Ky, who then took out its rocket launcher and aimed at the runaway truck.

"Targeting." Robo-Ky aimed, and then…

"Fire." the rockets shot out of the launcher on its shoulder. It flew towards the truck, and then….

BOOOMMMM!!!

Hit right on target. The truck burst into flames. The driver was dead of course.

"Accomplished." Robo-Ky kept the rocket launcher back into its body and resumed repair on its other arm.

Potemkin was down, unable to fight at all, what more stand up. Potemkin down, still got a few more knights to be eliminated. Just what was the Bureau thinking?

********************************************************************************

Outside of Phantom City…….

Near a muddy patch which looked like a battlefield, I meant a battlefield for fighters.

Zappa laid on the ground, body was full of bruises and blood stains. I-no was standing in front of him. Rather, her left leg stood on his head. Well that was very obvious, I-no had defeated Zappa. Even the spirit that possessed him couldn't matched her powers.

"You damn little ghost. You think by entering this idiot's body you can beat me? You fool. You can just sway around like a real idiot." she held up her guitar , and played a low tune. A tune which was more like a charming tune.

Shhrriieekkk!!!

The spirit that possessed Zappa flew out of his body. For sure, ordinary humans couldn't see the spirit that possessed him, but a Gear could see it, including I-no.

"Aaaiiieeekkk!!!!" the spirit gave a freaking yell that would've been very disturbia to humans if they heard it. It flew away in fear. But I-no just stayed there as if nothing had happened.

"Yes, run. Run away for your life. Cause when I get you, you won't have a 2nd chance to fly around anymore, let alone remain in this world. If only 'That Man' permits." she said. Her hat gave a weird poof of sound. The spirit flew off just like that, admitting defeat in the human world. I-no just looked on.

"Yo, what do we have here?" asked a voice. I-no turned back. A very tall slender figure stood not far from there, next to an average young looking lady, who looked like in a nurse outfit. Guess not: Faust and Fanny just arrived at the scene of battle, but it was too late to save Zappa for the moment, since I-no was still there, what could you expect?

"Oh?" thought I-no, as she took a 2nd glance at them. "It must be him." she thought.

"Doctor, that lady, is she a killer?" asked Fanny. "Look at the guy laying in front of her."

"I'm not sure. But judging the way things looked, she may be the one. But then, let's prepare for the worst. Fanny stay where you are. I'll go and check it out 1st." he walked on, bending his body now and then.

"Doctor, settle it with the best remedy if you can." she added.

"About time you show up." I-no stepped up. "You. You're one of those people who took part in the last Sacred Knights Tournament, aren't you? Doctor Baldhead."

"Maybe. And who would you be?" Faust bent towards her, but trying to stay as far as he felt it was necessary. "Are you in need of medical aid? I am a doctor, you know?"

"About time." she said.

"Hmmm? Do you need my help? I wonder what type of wound you have?" he had his long knife with him.

"The time to eliminate you!" she strummed her guitar, unleashing her musical notes at him. "All the knights will be eliminated before he returns." the notes aimed at him.

"Whoa!" Faust blocked the notes with his umbrella. He rolled back, and went to the side.

"So you're a woman desperate for a fight. Very well, if a good fight may satisfy you, then you shall have it. It is my job as a doctor to help those in need." he stuck out his knife again.

"Yeah, right. Help is on you. Death awaits you." she said, and she strummed her guitar again.

"Oh doctor, be careful." said Fanny from afar.

"Don't worry, my dear Fanny. This wouldn't take long." said Faust. But as he folded his umbrella back, I-no was already in front of him. She slammed her guitar at his head, sending him flying towards the woods. He crashed through them. He bent his legs and dodged the incoming notes.

"Damn." I-no became annoyed. She strummed out more of them. Faust made an opening from bending his legs again, and some of the notes flew through the gap. He opened his umbrella again and blocked the rest of it. I-no dashed at him and slammed her guitar at him. Faust blocked it, and threw out what looked like a grenade. BOOM! Both of them were thrown back. Faust landed back onto the ground with his umbrella. I-no landed with ease and aimed her guitar again.

"Oh, doctor!" Fanny was getting scared.

"You don't have to exclaim like that." I-no turned her head at her. "After all, once I'm finished with him, you're up next."

"Uh oh."


	12. Chapter Petit 2

_**CHAPTER PETIT 2 **_

Outside, on the outskirts of the remains of the city of Berlin……….

Rie was hiding somewhere near the pile of unused boxes. She was holding her bow straight up in the air.

"Where is it?" she thought. She was using her Gear powers to detect the location of the Accent Core. By generating her powers into her bow, it could act as a compass for her.

"Argh, damn it." she let go of her bow. It fell onto the ground, the top tip of it pointing to the North East.

"Aww, whatever. That should be it. The core went this far already? I wonder who got hold of it? Anyway, I must get hold of it quickly before he gets to open it."

Just then, a claw attached to a long chain came flying towards her. She startled upon noticing it, grabbed her bow and leaped aside, just in time as the claw crushed through the boxes, smashing all of it. Rie rolled to the side, and knelt down. She turned towards the attacker, who pulled back the chain back to her missing right arm into her sleeve.

"Kono yaro!" Rie exclaimed at her. Baiken was back again for her.

"Omae…" Baiken spat the hay out of her mouth. "You just don't learn from your mistake, don't you?"

"Atashi?" Rie thought of laughing out, but she tried to hold back her laughter. "It is you who should learn from your mistakes. After seeing your friends losing to me, is it still not enough for you to stop fighting me, and instead team up with me to obtain the Accent core together?"

"I don't give a damn. The only thing I know now is to stop you and your foul plans. And to pay you what you did to them." her only left hand grabbed her blade tightly.

"Is it a crime to rebuild the glory of our nation Japan? I guess you don't really care about it. What's the use of Bushido if you don't know how to apply it?"

"Urusai!!!" Baiken yelled back. "Kisama….you just don't know the feeling of losing the most important things in your life! That's what makes you eager to go for more. And when you reach such heights, you won't stop, and instead crave for more."

"Oh, kowai desu." Rie jeered back at her. "I already know the location of the core. And I'm gonna get it. If you think you're stronger than your friends, then stop me, with all your will and might. There will be no mercy." she held her bow upfront and was about to take an arrow from her container….

"Boke!!! Then you'll pay for it!" Baiken charged at her. Rie grabbed her arrow and fired a swift shot at her. Baiken dodged it, and drew out her blade and slashed at her. Rie blocked the blade with her bow, and with a small swift command from her lips, the knives at the edges of her bow pointed out. She pushed her back and it was her turn to try and slashed her with her bow.

"Hmmphh." Baiken flipped a tatami out of nowhere and blocked the knife. Rie pulled back the bow, leaped behind and shot a few lightning arrows from her bow, without using any arrows again.

"Damn." Baiken was in desperate situation now.

*********************************************************************************

Back to Dark City, quite some time already……..

Faust was the next one to lay on the ground, in a state of being defeated. His bag was half-opened next to him, with his umbrella broken not far away. He was about to use his own ultimate remedy, but couldn't use it on time before the final attack from I-no took him down.

"See? Didn't I say earlier? He's down already." I-no stepped on his head, as she looked at Fanny, who couldn't hold back her tears any longer. I-no rustled a bit on his head, but the paper bag covering his head wouldn't budge.

"What's with this idiot? Since you're like this now, just show me your baldy head! Come on, move the dumb bag aside!" she kicked his head aside

"Stop it!" Fanny yelled from her spot. Tears were still flowing down her cheek. She tried to put on a brave face and stared at I-no. "That's enough. I won't let you humiliate the doctor anymore!"

"Oh?" I-no gestured. She held her guitar firmly over her again. "Well then, you are next."

"Then bring it on. I'll do anything for the doctor." Fanny held up a giant needle out of nowhere.

Ho? I'm scared. I don't want my flu shot." I-no provoked with such kiddy joke. "Yeah, just kidding. Needles don't scare me at all." her fingers reached out to the guitar strings. .

***************************************************************************

Somewhere not clearly specified…….

Bridget went on with her adventures looking for bounties. He walked care freely down the lane whistling as he carried Roger with him.

"Argh, it's getting bored. No one to get rid off." he let out a sigh. And then at an instant, his eyes caught hold of someone in training at the side of the park. A guy who was putting on some moves with his chain and sickle attached together. AXL LOW!!!!!!!!

"Hey!" Bridget called out to him. Axl startled, then turned back and noticed him.

"Huh? A girl?" he thought. "Mango mango. This must be my lucky day." he went to him.

"Yo, missy. What's up? Bored?"

"I'm not a girl. I'm a bounty hunter." said Bridget.

"Oh?" Axl rubbed his forehead in surprise. "Oh, okay. Boy, what's up?"

"Have you seen any wanted person around?"

"Huh? There's no one here, you know. Can't you see it?" he gestured. "Just me. Yeah, just Axl around here having his habitual training."

"Oh." Bridget's face became gloomy.

"You're bored?" Axl looked at him.

"There's no one around here for quite some time. I want to prove more of my manhood."

"Look. Maybe we can have some tea while looking for wanted people, you say. If I'm not mistaken, there's a restaurant not far from here. So what do you think?"

"Oh? But, you have to pay." he said.

"No problem. I still got money from the last fight. It's a Chinese restaurant I think. So let's go. We can chat the whole day as well. I want to know more about this era." he walked on.

"Wait for me." Bridget went after him, still cuddling Roger with him and his yoyo in his other grasp.

********************************************************************************

Marseille…………….

Outside an abandoned building……..

Sol Badguy, again. He walked to the back alley of the building. As soon as he reached a dark alley, he stopped.

"I'm surprised that you'll be taking interest again to this kind of event." he said, referring to someone in the dark.

"That's what you'll say. You're still the same old man, with the same attitude." a short old man emerged from the darkness of the wall side and walked up to him; Kliff Undersn.

"So you know about the core too?" asked Sol.

"I may be this old, yeah, an old hop now, but I still know about all this things that we part of the Order used to guard as part of the measures to counter the Gears." Kliff rubbed his beard. "You sure did well the last time you took down Justice."

"So what?" Sol leaned back towards the wall. "What does that have to do with now?"

"Of course it has to do with now. It's not a surprise, since you left the Order at the wrong time. I'm surprised you would come to me for some advice about the core. This is part of heaven's feel or a blessing from god, that I still get to see you. "

"Oh?" Sol looked at him. "Spit it out. Let's go straight to the point. I need to be quick before Zato finds out how to open it."

"Zato? The assassin? He got it already?"

"Yeah. So what do you know?"

"There is one thing I'm a little worried, to be honest." replied Kliff. "I've been having these strange feelings for quite some time, but I really hoped it's not true."

"What do you mean? Could it be…..?"

"Yeah, it is. I'm afraid I'm having the bad feeling that Justice may still be alive, and hiding somewhere out there, waiting for the right time to strike again."

"Justice………." muttered Sol. "still alive…….. You mean Justice may also be hunting for the Core?"

"Precisely." he rubbed his beard.


	13. Chapter 5

_**CHAPTER V**_

Axl and Bridget arrived at the restaurant mentioned by Axl earlier. But when they reached the front building………

"Huh?" Axl looked at the notice hung on the door. "Closed today for unavoidable circumstances….."

"So…..?" Bridget looked at him. His face turned from normal to annoyed.

"What the hell???!!!!!!!!!!! Closed on this kind of day? Just when I thought I'm lucky? FUCK, man!!!" his exclaimed in frustration.

"Ano….?"

"Huh?"

"What should we do now?" Bridget was still staring at him. Axl tried to calm himself down.

"Damn it! Was am I doing?" he thought. "Venting all my anger in front of a girl? How uncool am I." he turned back to him.

"Err hmmm." he cleared his throat. "Never mind about that. How about we go elsewhere? Anywhere that we can have a nice talk to kill some time?" he grasped his sickle. Bridget stared on at him, thinking.

"So…." Bridget looked at him. "Where do you think suits us now?"

"Well……" he rubbed his head. "Actually I'm not so familiar with the surroundings. Perhaps you know better."

"If I, I'll just go to the nearby park right now. There is quite lonely, suitable to talk with someone like you."

"Whoa, nice talk." said Axl. "Judging from your style, you must be an English, aren't you?"

"How did you know?"

"I am English, after all." Axl shrugged off his shoulder, posing with his chains. Mango mango! What's up what's up?! Yo ! Yo!"

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Just mumbling. So shall we go?"

"Ok."

"Then lead the way."

* * *

……………………………..

………………………

……………….

……….

…….

….

The two of them walked to a quiet area near the bushes, where it looked more like ruins instead of being part of the park.

"You said wanted to look for bounties, didn't you?" Axl restarted the conversation.

"Yeah." Bridget was already playing with his yoyo again.

"But why?"

"Well, just to bring back all the manhood that I lost before."

"Huh?"

"Anyway, you know any targets around here?"

"Don't seem to have any."

"What's so special about the restaurant just now?"

"Emmm, the food of course. And I knew the owner well."

"That well?"

"Well, not really that well. We knew each other from the previous Sacred Knights tournament."

"You mean the one where its related to the Gears?"

"Bingo!"

Suddenly the nearby bushes started rustling. Something was behind it. Axl and Bridget startled.

"What was that?" Bridget held his yoyo tightly.

"How would I know? Axl grabbed hold of his chains. "Are there any animals around here."

"As far as I can remember, no."

"Then…."

The rustling got louder.

"I don't think there's just one, there might be more of them, standby." Axl took out the sickle joint.

"Maybe it's a bounty."

"Ho ho ho. There we go again. It's here!"

At that moment, it looked like 5 to 10 people leaped out of the bushes and surrounded them.

"Wah!" Bridget exclaimed in shock. Axl went closer to him.

"Robbers?" he thought. The lifeless men got closer to them. They looked like human, but then they also look as if they had been mutated. Their skins looked like of zombies, but they face looked more like of gargoyles.

"Reeeaagghghh!!!!!" the nearest ones exclaimed in fear.

"Could they be….. Gears?" Axl realized the difference in them.

"Gears? Here?" Bridget was surprised by his answer.

They were moving closer to them. The nearest ones lifted their hands equipped with knives wand sickles attached to their hands.

"Looks like we got no choice but to fight."

"I'm with you." Bridget let down his yoyo onto the ground. "I'll finish them off with just a few blows."

"Big talk, boy. But then you got something to do right now." he held the chains and sickle, preparing to fight.

"You know, we just met today. But I think we're gonna make a good team here." added Bridget.

"Nice working with ya, kid." he raised the sickle. "Let's rock, dude!"

"Ohhhh!!!"

They charged towards the Gears. The Gears exclaimed again and leaped towards the two of them.

* * *

May Ship………………..

"All coast clear for the time being."

"Good. Full speed ahead." ordered May. The Amy Ship flew at a faster rate than usual.

"So far so good, Johnny. We haven't see any potential threat. So Dizzy's gonna be alright."

"I really hope so." he was sitting at the back seat in the control room.

Meanwhile, in the cabin, Dizzy was still lying on her bed in her room. She was awake, yet she felt uneasy.

"Something's not right." she thought. "I don't know what is it, but…………"

Suddenly she felt a slight pain passing through her head.

"Arrgh! What is this?" she held her hands tightly at her head.

"Iiiiiiiyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!" she couldn't control her pain any longer. She unleashed her powers again. The wings spread open from her back again.

"Dizzy!!!" May and Johnny heard her scream and tried to leave the cabin…….

"Captain! There's an unexpected fog ahead of us!"

"What?" Johnny panicked. "Steer us out of it!"

"Negative. The area's too wide. It's hard to avoid it.!"

"What's going on?" May was feeling the chill at her back.

"May. You go check out on Dizzy first. We'll deal with this problem here."

"Oh." May calmed down and hurried to the door. But just then, they heard the sound of the cabin door being crushed open. From the blurry window, they could see Dizzy flying out, again!

"Dizzy!!!" May called out to her, but to no avail.

"Must…. Reach….. It!" Dizzy muttered, being under control of her own powers again. She flew off into the thick clouds.

"Dizzzy!" May reached the window, but she was out of sight. "Johnny, what should we do?"

"This is getting weird." Johnny reached for his blade. "We must get out of this fog. Try to fly in Dizzy's direction. Then we'll try to trace her."

"That wouldn't be possible." said a voice form outside. Johnny and May were surprised. They quickly ran out to the outside, to their usual battleground on the plane. There stood I-no with her guitar.

"Who are you? How did you get here?" Johnny pointed his blade at her.

"She's scary." said May. "Where's my anchor?"

"He he he." I-no giggled. "You're one funny type of girl, you know?"

"Huh?"

"Stop joking around. You have something to do with the Gears, don't you?" Johnny hesitated.

"Who knows? But then, you won't have the chance to know at all, cause you all are going down." she pointed her own guitar at them.

"Damn you, whatever your name. En garde." Johnny got into his position.

"Hold on Johnny. I'll be there soon." May rushed back into the control room trying to get her anchor.

"Hmmmphhh!" I-no got into her position. "Ignorant humans."

Not long after………….

We don't know the outcome of the battle. But then one part of the May Ship exploded, causing the engine to caught fire. The May Ship lost power and soon crashed onto the ground again. It landed onto the nearby forest and only stopped skidding when it reached the nearby river. Fortunately the fire didn't spread to the other parts of the ship. The small fire continued to engulf the right engine. The fate of the Jellyfish Pirates were not clearly known, but Johnny and May apparently survived the crash. Yet their location were unknown. I-no on the other hand, vanished as soon as the ship started crashing.

Testament appeared at another location far from the crash site. He held his scythe and looked around for the moment. His crow gave out the unwanted arrking again.

"That power must've come from the rumored Accent Core. I thought it was just a tale all along." he looked up in to the sky.

"Tes….tament." a voice called out at him from behind. He was surprised, and quickly turned behind to seek the guest.

"Huh?"

Dizzy flew above him and over him, and landed in front of him. Her wings were still spread open. The two beings by her wings were in a weeping-like state. Her facial expression looked blank, as if she had forgotten about what was bestowed upon her while she was with the Jellyfish Pirates.

"Commander Gear Dizzy?" Testament went up to her. "What are you doing here?" he knelt before her. "So the humans really let you down, didn't they?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked in a very cold manner. "They…….. Have nothing to do with me. Listen carefully, my vice commander."

"Yes? Your orders?" he bowed. "Whatever you command, is my responsibility to fulfill it."

"The Core. It has awaken. Your mission now, is to bring it back, even if by force."

"Did those humans knew about it?"

"I don't give a damn about them." again she replied in a very cold manner, as if she was already heartless.

"She sounded a little weird." he thought. "Maybe it's because of the Core's effect." but then he got up. "As you order. Your orders will bring glory to us, the Gears, and a place for all of us in this world." he carried up his scythe. "Will you be okay?"

"I am always ok. Now go get it." she pointed at him.

"Yes, Commander Gear." he retreated and vanished as usual.

"Must keep….on searching." she thought. And she took off into the sky again. The two ultimate Gears had begun their quest once again.


	14. Chapter Isuka

_**CHAPTER ISUKA**_

Axl and Bridget were ambushed by the Gears ….

"What are they?" Bridget exclaimed, full of mixed feelings.

"Argh, never mind what they are! They're after our heads. WE gotta fight them." He drew out his chain and sickle, letting the chain dangled down the ground.

The Gears were attracted to Axl straight away the moment he drew his weapon. They surrounded him instead.

"Whoa, what the….?" Axl startled, but got ready to swing first.

"Then don't take all fun just for yourself." Bridget barged in again, with his yoyos in his grasps. "I wanna catch too."

"Can you even fight in the first place?"

"Don't underestimate me!" Bridget pouted.

"Ah, whatever."

The closest Gear leaped at them. Axl dodged its claws, and swung the sickle at it, slashing past its shoulder.

"Arrgghhh!" it crashed onto the ground, held its shoulder in pain. Bridget shot his yoyo at its head, taking it out, then pulling it back into his grasp.

"Don't think this are just toys."

"Alright, I got it, I got it." Axl just mumbled it out, as the other Gears had started attacking him. "Harh!" he slashed as many as he could, but some of them managed to avoid his attack.

"Don't underestimate us Gears!" one of them yelled. More and more were leaping out from the bush.

"Damn it, I could use some extra hand here!" Axl was in trouble, as more of them were targeting him. Bridget fought with the other ones, swinging his yoyo here and there, slamming them backwards.

"You don't think I'm not that occupied either?" he seemed to be panicking.

"Fucking shit!" Axl exclaimed. "Where are all those so called knights anyway? Take this!" he struck his sickle into a Gear's head, ripped it off and charged towards another one. One from afar threw a big ball at him. He rolled over to avoid it. He swung his sickle at it. It dodged it. The rest surrounded him again.

"Damn it! They're getting stronger here!" He slashed them apart. "I think we should pull back!"

"But where?"

"Just run for it. You don't wanna die young don't you?" Axl reached out for his hand, pulled him and dragged him along as he ran.

"Hey, slow down, will you?" Bridget tried to keep up with him.

"Argh, slow down and they're after you already." Axl exclaimed. Bridget looked back, and the Gears were after them, not far behind.

"Yikes!"

"Damn it. Are we a pack of hunting preys now?" Axl exclaimed in frustration as he dragged him on away from them.

Elsewhere…

Robo Ky was busy repairing himself. Steams were coming out of his body there and then, as he opened part of himself.

"Bzz… Bzz…initiating system repair." Part of his chest opened up to reveal the machines inside, as his left hand transformed into a burner trying to adjust some of the gears inside there. His other hand turned into another tool to start fixing the damaged parts in his body.

"Bzzz….Bzzzz….. System repair completion… 5%... 15%... 30%...

And then….

"Alert detected!" Robo Ky stopped his repair immediately an d leaped backwards, just in time, as a powerful high jump kick landed onto that spot, crushing the ground. Robo Ky stood backwards, withdrew his tools and drew out his blade.

"Nice avoidance. That's what can be expected from a scrap metal built by the Bureau." The attacker, Sol Badguy stood straight up facing him.

"Bzz….. Bzz….. Insolent hunter. Termination is the only solution….. Bzz…."

"Oh, I just loved the sound of scrap metal being broken into pieces." He said. Robo Ky remained silent, yet his vision system was scanning the surrounding area.

"What? Can't say a word? Guess you're really a scrap metal after all." Sol walked towards him. "Once I get you out of my sight, then it's the Bureau's turn. Everyone wants that Core, how bothersome it is."

"Bzz…. Bz…. Insolent hunter is only blocking the path of those worth enough to grab hold of the Core…" Robo Ky held up his blade.

"Which is the bureau itself, right?" Sol ended his sentence.

"Bzz…. Bzz….. Impossible…!" Robo Ky held his blade towards him. Sol just remained there, as if nothingwas in his way.

"Mah, guess there's always a way to tame a scrap metal. You wanna know how?"

"Not interested!" Robo Ky charged at him and swung his blade at him. Sol sumersaulted behind, made a back flip and tried to gave him a flying kick. Robo Ky extended his legs and avoided it. Sol blanced back himself and leaped forward.

"You said that!" Sol charged at him and swung his blade at him. Robo Ky blocked it and tried to parry it. Sol ducked it and gave a kick at his abdomen, pushing him behind. Robo Ky unleashed his flail, but Sol caught the chain instead and pulled him back towards him.

"Impossible…. Too fast…" Robo Ky tried to dodge the attack. But Sol kept on pressing on him. Robo Ky shot his electric beam at him. Sol dodged it, but it managed to hit his sleeve, toring it. Still, Sol didn't seemed bothered with it.

"Impossible is still possible!" Sol charged at him, and kicked up his cheek, sending him flying high up into the sky.

"Bzz…..Bzz…. need improvement support….. " Robo Ky tried to balance himself in the sky. Sol himself leaped high up trying to get after him.

"Bzz…. Switching battle mode … destroy mode…."

Before he could even finished the process, Sol was already level with him head to head.

"Slam Dunk!" Sol slammed his head really hard with his blade, crashing him back down to earth. "Bizong!" Was the sound that Robo Ky emitted as he got hit.

Crash! Robo Ky was buried into the ground. Sol landed with grace back onto the ground.

"This fast? Then let's finish this! Arrggghhhh!" Sol entered his rage mode and rushed at him. Robo Ky slowly got up, with all the creaking sounds of the gears in his body.

"Hiah!" Sol landed another strong fist at him. Robo Ky dodged it.

"Huh?"

Robo Ky grabbed his arm, tried to slash him again with his blade, Sol parried the blade with his own and overpowered it. Robo Ky turned around, extended his own arm trying to get away from him, pushed him aside with his force and took out his harisen. "Ennui!" he swung it at him.

"Hmmppphh!" Sol dropped his blade to the ground as he dodged the harisen. His left hand, now unarmed grabbed hold of Robo Ky's neck instead.

"System analysis imcomplete…Bzz… must restore power…"

"Too late sicko!" Sol landed a powerful head butt at Robo Ky's face. His face shattered in and his head broke off his neck system. Sol threw the main body far behind.

"Finalizer!" Sol gathered all his powers into his fist and charged at the flying body. "Hiah!" With his burning fist he delivered the final blow. Robo Ky's body was totally destroyed into pieces.

"Hmmpp" Sol turned away as the pieces of metal fell to the gound. Robo Ky's head remained on the ground, still semi functioning.

"Bzz…..Bzzz…. need to report failure….."

"You can say that again." Sol walked up towards the head. "You don't have to report back to them. They'll know this for sure. That's when I get hold of that core myself." He clenched his fist in an arrogant style.

"Insolent fool…. The Order will find out about this as well…."

"Go ahead. I'm no longer part of the Order." Sol boasted as he grabbed hold of Robo Ky's head and held it high up.

"They will not let you get it so easily…."

"Time to terminate, asshole…" With that Sol slammed Robo Ky's head against his own forehead; a headbutt!

Robo Ky's head was totally smashed up into pieces. That was the end of Robo Ky.

"Huh!" Sol threw the remaining pieces from his palm and cleaned it with his hankie. "Time for the other guys. Gotta stop them before Ky finds out instead." He looked up into the sky, which was turning red.


	15. Chapter 5 part 2

_** Battle m5.5**_

Baiken went on pursuing Rie down till the rural area.

"Matte! Baka!" Baiken yelled at her.

"Hah! Like I have to listen to ya!" Rie made a twist in the air as she leaped on, and shot another arrow towards her. Baiken dodged it, hit the side of a big lump of worn out wooden furniture. Baiken thought; gave a strong kick against the pile sending the furnitures flying towards Rie.

"Wah!" Rie had to land on the ground facing off the furnotures. "Ceh, cheap trick!" She gathered her powers into her bow, and it transformed out into a crescent-shaped bow with the blades at the ends. Among the furniture flying were a broken chair and some parts of a broken cabinet. Rie slashed through the cabinet door, rolled over and kicked away the chair to the side.

Baiken took the chance to rushed closer to her. Rie noticed her coming, but she couldn't avoid it. She had to smashed through the furnitures first.

"Hiiaaaahhhh!" Baiken drew out her sword and slashed down onto her. Rie blocked it above her with her bow. The two weapons screeched each other sending out sparks between them.

"Go on with your quest for the core and you'll just end up dead!"

"Yeah, right. You're the one who's gonna end up just like your other pals earlier." Rie sneered back. "You know what a half Gear can do and what a mere mortal can't, don't you? The difference is already that obvious! Even for just a half Gear like me, I really feel great having this power!" she pushed Baiken back. "All I need left is the Core, to perfect my powers. Then I can rebuild back Japan to its former glory!"

"Kisama…!" Baiken stood back not far from her. "If that's how you think, then you're really going to oblivion. Asking for so much, what more trying to revive Japan's glory, it's just like what happened to the previous Empire before it became Colony!" Baiken aimed her sword in front of her, diagonal to her eyes. "Only an aho would have such stupid ambitions. Omae wa onaji da!"

"Dakara nani?" Rie gave a sly smile. "If you're not happy with it, then you just have to vanish from this world. This world doesn't need you." she aimed her bow at her with arrows created from her powers again. "You and the rest are just a bother, thinking that your current ways will be able to wipe out the Gears just like that. Kantan ja nai, baka!" she released them at her.

"Hmmphh! I will not die until I get That Man with my own hand!" Baiken spun her sword around countering the magic arrows aside.

"Ceh!" Rie aimed more arrows at a time and shot them at her. Baiken held her sword back and stomped the ground that hard, flipping her tatami out of the ground, blocking all the arrows.

"If you can beat me, then I'll give up on it, but of course, that's impossible for the one-armed swordwoman here." she charged at her and tried to slashed her with her blade from both sides of her bow. Baiken was still gripping her sword, she blocked the attack. Rie slid down and tried to tackle her. Baiken leaped far behind, and hacked her shoulder with her sword. Rie narrowly blocked the attack with her bow, and rushed to the side. Baiken hustled around the other side, and shot out her claw and chain. Rie rolled over to the side. Baiken controlled her claw and directed it towards her. Rie had to keep on running around as the claw swung after her and hit all those rubbish along her path. Baiken tried to keep up with her as well, her chain was running short. She ran after her, until she lost control of her chain. She halted and pulled back her claw towards her. Rie leaped near another pile of scrap metal near her, as the sun was setting. Baiken retained her sword in her hand. Rie just smiled again.

"Look at ya. You can't even get me till now, it's gonna be night soon. You're wasting my damned time already. Akiramenai yo." she grabbed two arrows from her container and aimed at her again. "I'm tired of playing with ya. Once I get the Core, I cannot even guarantee you your corpse when you die, so might as well die now without anymore struggle."

"Hmmphh!" Baiken could only stare at her at the moment. As the sun set lower, it was getting darker as well. Rie gave another smile, as she pulled the arrows tighter.

And then she…

"!"

One gigantic shadowy claw struck through Rie's body. She oozed out blood from her mouth. Her bow and arrows fell off her hands. The gigantic claw lifted her body high up into the air. Rie was powerless to strike back. She was a half Gear, yet she was close to death at the very moment.

"Immp… impossible….:" she could only groaned. "Naze….. Watashi wa….?" she was losing her powers, and her life. Baiken was dumbstruck, but she remained at her spot. The shadowy figure behind the claw slowly surfaced above the ground and formed the body of a predator, slowly revealing its human form… Zato!

"Masaka….. Zato!" Baiken couldn't believe her eyes. Eddie looked at her, and then at his shadow next to him, still lifting Rie up there.

"Ha ha ha…. Ah haha hah!" Eddie covered his forehead. "Finally, a perfect body to be my new vessel." he grabbed hold of his own belt covering his eyes. "This girl's body….. Fused with the Gear power, will just justify me."

"Why….?" Rie could still speak out. "You're a Gear. Why….. Does it has to be me?" she was losing a lot of blood from her below her chest.

"Gears….. Humans….. Half Gears… all are nothing to me." he held up the black box containing the Accent Core with his other hand. "AS long as I get the core within, then nothing more matters. One I be one with her, I shall be able to open it and claim all its powers and be the unstoppable one."

"Kisama yaro!" Baiken aimed her sword at him. "I don't really care about you. But since you have the core instead, and you are killing my target there, zettai I won't let you go for that!"

"Oh? Interesting. What's an imperfect samurai wants to do to kill me? I shall not die. You shall!" he pointed at her, and the rest of his shadows started moving on the ground towards her trying to devour her. Baiken leaped onto the pile of scrap metal near her. She kicked some of it towards the shadows. Eddie dropped Rie onto the ground first and rushed towards Baiken.

"If you really think I steal your target, then be my target too. Both of you shall join each other in the nether realm too. I shall feast on you too." he turned to shadow into a gigantic chain saw and slammed past the pile. Baiken jumped into the air, quickly kept her sword and aimed all her Qi into her palm and aimed down at him.

"!"

Baiken slammed her palm against him. He blocked with his arms. Baiken landed on the ground and quickly stomped the ground, hitting up the tatami again. Eddie flinched behind, but himself up almost immediately with his remaining shadows. He hesitated, since he was still carrying the box with his other hand. Baiken noticed it, and thus tried to make him dropped it. She kicked another pile of metal pieces towards him. Eddie unleashed all of his shadows into tentacles, as they crushed through the metal pieces. His right hand controlled them, his left hand still grabbing onto the box.

"Kono!"

Baiken was above him. Eddie was surprised, but he quickly made a barrier above him with his remaining shadows. Baiken slammed her palm hard onto it, causing an electrode impact between them.

"In futile method." he thought. But he was wrong. There was space below him, near his abdomen area. Baiken turned her body, quickly drew back out her sword and slashed his chest side. Eddie lifted his leg trying to counter her. She quickly leaped below him.

"It's a trap!" Eddie noticed it too late. Baiken shot her claw out towards his arm. Eddie dodged it directly, but it still managed to pierced through his left arm. There was some blood spill from it, as he had to drop the black box from his grasp.

"No!" Eddie exclaimed. The box dropped near another pile of rubbish and below it till it hit the ground. "Curse you!" he turned to her. She was ready to attack him again.

"You'll pay for it!" he withdrew all his shadow behind him, and they rose higher than him.

"Hah! Bring it on!" Baiken jeered at him, she held her sword in front of her.

"Say your prayers!" Eddie exclaimed. The shadowy tentacles were dangling high up ready to strike over her.

"Chance!" A.B.A. appeared from behind the pile of rubbish all of a sudden, dragging her big key along with her. She had been hiding there for quite some time observing their fights. And that's where she noticed the box had fell near her. She sneaked out and grabbed it, and went back to her hiding spot. "Bingo!" she thought, joyfully like an elementary school kid, then slowly sneaking away from the area with her key. The two of them yet to notice her presence there.

It took quite some time, Eddie still hadn't attacked Baiken, and she was still waiting for his attack. She was getting worn out, in fact she was losing more of her powers compared to him. Finally Eddie realized the box was missing from his view. He searched frantically with this eyes from behind the blindfold.

"It's…. it's gone!" he yelled without even thinking. Baiken noticed it either. She smiled.

"Ara, so it's gone, eh? There is a spy somehow hiding around here. Well, beats me it would be better for that person to have it rather than you."

"Curse you!" he glared at her again. "I'll kill you now!" he unleashed all of the shadowy tentacles towards her. They rushed towards her at high speed. Baiken kicked up her tatami to blocked them. They managed to break through it.

"Yaro!" Baiken leaped back and tried to block the incoming tentacles with her sword. Some of it still managed to get past her and hit her body.

"Arrgghhh!" Baiken yelled in pain. They hit past her like whips and she was slammed far behind, till she hit a mountain of soil and crash landed on the ground face down. There were bruises all over her. Her sword landed struck onto the ground.

"Ceh! Pathetic fool." Eddie spat on the ground. He scanned the area around him. No luck. A.B.A., or rather the mysterious spy had long left the area with the Accent Core. "Damn it! Whoever it is, I'll get it back." he stood there for some trying to figure out what to do next.

"Am I forgetting something?" he moved his head up and down in deep thought. The sun had set, only a matter of time before the moon aroused in the sky.

"Ceh, curses. I better get my perfect body first." he left Baiken still sprawling at the other end. Walking back to Rie's body. Her body was still warm. Eddie's shadowy tentacles rose out again, wrapped through her body, lifted it and towards his own body. His own shadowy figure was devouring it slowly, trying to fused hers with his.

"Now I shall have more eternity here." he observed his own new body, enhanced with the power and mass of Rie within him. He looked at his own hand….

"Huh?" His hand was kinda between melting and not. So was his other body parts.

"Ceh. Not yet complete the process." he thought. The fusion was still incomplete. Eddie's body was still unstable as it was still absorbing Rie's body inside him. "I don't have much time. I must get the core back. With this body, it shouldn't be a problem…!"

A sword pierced through his chest all of a sudden. It was so sudden Eddie couldn't even think about it. The sword went through him and landed on the ground in front of him. Blood sprawled out of his body, including some blood oozing out of his mouth. Eddie touched his own chest, noticed the blood on his hands, and then.

"!"

Another attack! A claw pierced through his chest as well, attached to a chain. Eddie turned back, saw Baiken was standing again. That claw was from her. She managed to get up again and attacked him while he was still so engrossed in the fusion process.

"Why….. You….!" Eddie held his hand up. "I… should've kill you….. For good…"

"Hah! Kisama… don't under….estimate me….." Baiken was using her last remaining energy to attack him. She forcefully pulled out her claw from his chest, pulling him closer to her. Eddie's face had a expression of shock and horror, though you couldn't how his eyes might had looked. He stumbled onto the ground, motionless. He was not dead, though, just that he had lost plenty of energy as well during the fusion, but her would be needing a very long time to recover, plus the wounds he had just received from Baiken.

"That…should hold you on…. For a while…." Baiken herself slumped onto the ground and passed out. There were some blood stain on her armless sleeve. Was it blood leaking out of her own wounds? Anyway Baiken was unable to fight on. The fight could be considered a double K.O.

Baiken's sword remained struck onto the ground near Eddie. Eddie's body was still visible there, without the shadows, even as the moon began to appear in the sky.


End file.
